Meet Our Staff
E-mail for Pastor Tom:
pastor@chapelhillumcrome.org
Rev. Tom Bowen
Pastor Tom serves as our Senior Pastor at Chapel Hill UMC. Tom Has been a Methodist all of his life and been serving in pastoral ministry for 16 years. He and His wife of 35 years have 3 grown children, all married. They have 4 granddogs and two step granddogs.
His call to ministry started right here at Chapel Hill UMC by serving on the finance committee that he eventually chaired. He sang in the choir and worked in children’s programs. He and his wife have served on several mission trips to different areas of Mexico where the teams help construct churches working with United Methodist Men’s program. He became the Chapel Hill Lay leader in January of 2000 but, by December his call changed to step up and serve in a pastoral role
Tom has been serving as a pastor in the Rome, Georgia area since December 2000. He has also served as Shorter College Wesley Foundation Director for three years. Another area of service has been working within the North West Georgia Walk to Emmaus community as a member of the clergy teams on retreats.
He has an Associates Degrees in Electrical Engineering and in Ministry Studies. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Ministry Studies. He has owned and operated two companies: custom electronic engineering and sales company for seven years; then started and ran an internet company for an additional eight years.
Tom believes that his primary role is in the equipping and empowerment of the laity to engage in the ministries of the Church. He preaches of the word of God, to the congregation with a connection to today’s world. He and his family are supportive of the local church as the body of Christ to the community and encourage his charge to be visible as happy Christians in a serious world.
Pastor Tom serves as our Senior Pastor at Chapel Hill UMC. Tom Has been a Methodist all of his life and been serving in pastoral ministry for 16 years. He and His wife of 35 years have 3 grown children, all married. They have 4 granddogs and two step granddogs.
His call to ministry started right here at Chapel Hill UMC by serving on the finance committee that he eventually chaired. He sang in the choir and worked in children’s programs. He and his wife have served on several mission trips to different areas of Mexico where the teams help construct churches working with United Methodist Men’s program. He became the Chapel Hill Lay leader in January of 2000 but, by December his call changed to step up and serve in a pastoral role
Tom has been serving as a pastor in the Rome, Georgia area since December 2000. He has also served as Shorter College Wesley Foundation Director for three years. Another area of service has been working within the North West Georgia Walk to Emmaus community as a member of the clergy teams on retreats.
He has an Associates Degrees in Electrical Engineering and in Ministry Studies. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Ministry Studies. He has owned and operated two companies: custom electronic engineering and sales company for seven years; then started and ran an internet company for an additional eight years.
Tom believes that his primary role is in the equipping and empowerment of the laity to engage in the ministries of the Church. He preaches of the word of God, to the congregation with a connection to today’s world. He and his family are supportive of the local church as the body of Christ to the community and encourage his charge to be visible as happy Christians in a serious world.
E-mail joannbaker1404@yahoo.com
JoAnn is a Charter Member of Chapel Hill and has been a church secretary both here and at other churches for many years. She lives in Shannon and has three grown sons with families of their own.
E-mail Rita Jones:
Church-admin@chapelhillumcrome.org
Rita Jones
What can we say about Rita? Like any great church, Chapel Hill is comprised of great volunteers. Rita epitomizes the wonderful volunteer/servant spirit that makes Chapel Hill GREAT! She is our volunteer Administrative Assistant and is the "central nervous system" of Chapel Hill. Rita retired from a career in Social Services and has a heart as big as Rome itself.
E-mail story7475@gmail.com
Cindy Story has served as a church pianist since she was 15 years old. After graduating from Berry College and Georgia State University, she continued to serve in church ministry as pianist, children’s and youth choir coordinator, and many other leadership roles while teaching in her private piano studio. While Cindy was serving a local church in late 1991, Founding Pastor Mark Trull invited her to audition for the pianist position for Rome’s New Methodist Church, which later became Chapel Hill UMC.
E-mail story7475@gmail.com
When Pastor Trull also discovered that her husband Steve Story (graduate of Berry College, West Georgia, and Lincoln Memorial University) was serving as a music minister, he invited them to audition as a team after attending a children’s choir program they were leading. They applied together and 26 years later continue to call Chapel Hill home. Serving the Lord through music at Chapel Hill continues to be a blessing in their lives. Steve and Cindy have 2 grown children and a daughter-in-law who all live in Texas.
E-mail sbukha123@comcast.net
Steve Burkhalter began singing in the Chapel Hill adult choir in 1993. A graduate of Pepperell HS, Steve also grew up singing in church music programs and has blessed many with his talent. He quickly became an integral part of the music team, eventually moving to the keyboard where he remains today. Steve works at Shaw Industries as a Lift Truck Operator and has a son, Jason Burkhalter.